pepper



(No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 1.

W. H. PEPPER & A. T. L. DAVIS.

STRIPING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

No. 464,586. Patented Dec. 8, 1891.

22; ATTORNEY.

3 Sheets-Shert 2.

W. H. PEPPER & A. T. L. DAVIS.. STR-IPING MECHANISM FOR KNITTINGMACHINES.

No. 464,586. Patented Dec. 8, 1891.

(No Model.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet; s.

W. H. PEPPER 8v A. T L. DAVIS. STRIPING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

IIo. 464,586. Patented Dec, 8.

UNITED-{STATES 'ATENT Eric- Swain-1min; TEYPEY?KNDAWEB'PT- L iJ AF WJAKE frtteen'rmr.

inmrstnnn,

" ST'RIPI'NG M ECHANISM FoRicN-wTiNGt'MACHl'N ES;

srncrmeA IoN forming part of Letters Patent 1%. 464,586,dated December8,1891;

Application filed April 14, 1891. Serial No. 388,917. m mdev it has beena usual and common practice to first knit withathread'or yarn of onecolor and then with a thread or yarn of a different color, one thread'oryarn' being broken off as the other-is fed-in; -lh'e result'i's thatsolidcolored stripes alternate with each other.

' The present improvements consist in meeh anis'm for feeding in thethreads oryarns and for breaking off on'ethread or yarn when the otherthread o'r yarn is fed in.- 1

More specifically-the present invention con- 1 sists =in improvementsupon the stripingthread-feed:mechanismset forth in the British PatentNo.- 4,293, dated December 10, 187-5, granted to Nathaniel 'Marslialland Edwin Ilewitt. In thatpatent two differently-cob ored-threads fromwhich the stripes are formed are conducted to the needles between twosta tionary gripping-.jaws and an intermediate. automatically controlledmovable grippingv jaw, the two'thread's' passing on opposite sides ofthe movable -jaw,and' thence through a leading-in thread-eye common toboth of the needles. Ordinarily one of the'threads (hereinafter calledthe striping-thread) is clamped between the movable jaw and one of Y thefixed-jaws, so that'only the other thread (hereinafter called the mainthread) is fed to the needles. =When, however, a stripe is to be formed,the movable gripping-jaw is caused to move at the properinstant, (by theaction of constant-ly-mov'ii-ig mechanism,) so 0 as to release thestripingthread and immediately thereafter to clamp the inainthreadagainst the other stationary jaw. Agbr'ief interval occurs betweenthcrelease of the striping-thread and the clamping of the main thread,during which both of the threads are free to be fed to the needles.During this interval rotary "twister, through whichi hothv threads passin traveling from the leading-in.

thread-eye tothe' needles, acts. This rotary:

twister causes't'he two threads-tube twisted together, so 'thatthestriping-threadis carried to'theneedles bythe main thread.- Asisoon asthe striping-thread is being taken by the: needles the further feedingof the-main thread is stopped by itsbeing gripped by tlle action otitsstation'ary'jaw and the movable jaw. 1 1? main threadis then brokenolf-by-the action-of the knitting-mael'iine" etweenthe jaws and; theneedles W hen a s-u' fficie-nt width oft-stripe;

has been knitted with the striping-thread, the.

movable jaw is automaticallymoved. in the opposite direction, so thatthe main thread'is released'and ag'ain' fed'to theneedl'es andthe stripin g-fthread is clamped and -='broken off: Subsequently to the date--of this Marshall and. IlewittBritish patent it was discovered that theemployment "of a rotary twister'is unnecessary inorder to insure thefeeding in 0f the threads; since it was found that. under properconditionsone lthread will be carried into'theneedles by -th-efrictional con tact therewith ofth eother thread. The fr-ic-' tion'aleon-tactbetween the threads'can be alone relied upon if'the threads oryarns-are of a high grade of wool, having arough fibrous snrface, and ifthe threads 'are ofinferior grades of \vool'or are of smooth fiber-it issuf fieient toslacken the thread to be fed in,and

thus relieve it of tension, to insureone thread being fed in by thefrictional contact therewith of v the other thread. Examples "Oren:cular-knitting machines wherein 'frictiona l cont-act and frictionalcontact aided by slackening are relied upon to feed in threads totheneedles may be found described and set forth in British Patent No.4,685, dated November 19, 1878, and granted to Henry Clarke, and inBritish Patent No. 1,788, dated J an uarylO, 1884, and granted to JohnlL'Oooper and Wil ham .1. Ford. Now the present improved feed mechanismemploys the movable and stationary jawsof the Marshall and IlewittBritish patent and after .the release of one thread carries it to theneedles by't-he frictional contact therewith of the'other thread.

The improvements consist in the construction of the feed mechanism, thecentral featurc of which is that the movable jaw does not pass directlyand by a single movement from the position where it clamps one thread tothe po ition where it clamps the other thread, but makes a dwell orpause between these two positions, so that ample time and obportunityisgiven for the moving thread before it is clamped to carry in to theneedles the previouslystationary and inactive thread. The movable jawtakes two distinct steps in passing from one clamping position to theother clamping position.

The present improved feed mechanism may be applied o any type ot'circular-knitting machine; but for convenience of illustration and,description they will be set forth as applied to an ordinarycircular-knitting machine 'for knitting tubular ribbed fabrics whereinlatch-needles are employed and wherein the :0 needle-holdersarcstationary and the needleactuating cams rotate.

The present llnpIOVClllOlliS are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure] isaside view of thehead of a circalar-knittingmachine equipped with the present improvements, only so much of theusual parts of the machine being shown as will enable the improvementsto be clearly understood. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is aside view of the same, looking-at the machine in a direction at rightangles to the point of view in Fig. 1. Figs. tand 5 are details of themechanism which immediately effects the operation of the movable jaw,two different positions of the parts being represented. Figs. 6 and 7are detail views of the gripping-jaws, differentpositions thereof beingrepresented. Fig. 8 is an outside vicwof the guide-plate carrying theleading-in threadeye. Fig. 9 is an inside view of the same. Fig. 10 is ahorizontal section thereof, Fig. 11 is a detail view'showing amodification of the gripping-jaws.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 10 of the drawings, 5 A is the usual head-plateof the machine. B is the constantly-rotating cylinder or ring whichoperates the cylinder-needles. C is the stationary needle-cylinder. D isthe stationary dial needle-plate, and E is the constantlyrotating dialcam-plate which actuates the dial-needles and which moves in unison withthe cam ring or cylinder B by reason of its rigid connection therewiththrough the spindle a, cross-bar b, and pillars c c. F is the 5threadguide plate provided with the leadingin thread-eye G, said platebeing rigidly sccured on, so as to rotate with, the dial camlilato E.

Rigidly secured to the rotating cam cylinoo der or ring 15 is a bracketll, having an outwardl-y-eitending horizontal. platel, the upper flatface of. which is in substantially the same plane as the thread-eye G.This plate I carries two threadguide plates (Z e, having thread-guideeyesfg, respectively, for the two threads. The thread which passesthrough the eyef, will be hereinafter considered and Ition,onegripping-jaw of the movable gripper as a ntutiet'ol" fact, andit is quite immaterial.

with which thread the broader or the narrower stripes are formed. Eachof the thread-eyes l g is shown as located in a separate guideplate.This is not essential, but is a convenient arrangement as preventing thethreads from becoming entangled on their Way from thethread-bobbins tothe needles. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the two threads extend frongs 4itheir respective eyes f and g to the leading-in thread-eye G at an acuteangle to each other, and both threads enter the thread-eye G at arracute angle to the thread-guide plate F, so that each thread in passingthrough the thread-eye is drawn over one at least of. the marginal edgesof the thread-eye.

in passing in a direct line from the eyef to the o3 e (l the main thread.r (see Fig. 6) passes alongside and in the vicinity of the grippingfaceoi the outer stationary gripping-jaw J, and the striping-t1: read 1 inpassing in a direct qs line from the eye g to the eye G passes alongside and in the vicinity of the gripping-face of the inner stationarygripping-jaw K. 0011- scqucntly when either thread is free to be fed into the needles it suffers no retardation or friction by reason'oi'passing over and incontact with an edge of its corresponding stationarygri p 'iing-jaw. Located between these two stationary gripping-jaws Jand K and movable from one to the other is a movable gripper I havingtwo gripping faces or jaws, one of which co-operates with thegripping-face of the jaw J and the other of which co-operates with thegripping-face of the jaw K. The two gripping faces or jaws of themovable gripper constitute in effect two independent gripping jaws, oneof which coacts with the jaw J and the other with the jaw K. As a matterof convenience both movable jaws are formed on opposite faces of asingle moving part that is, on the gripper L. lhemovable gripper L hasthree positions: first, an outer po sition when it is in contact withthe outer gripping-jaw .l, as shown in Fig. 2; second, an nner positionwhen it is in contact-with the inner gripping-jaw K,as shown in Fig. .7,and, third, an intermediate position when it is out of contact with bothgripping-jaws, as shown in Fig. 6. \Vhen in the tirstoroutermostposigrip's'andclamps the main threadzapreventin g 5 it from being fed tothe needles. ,Whcn it is in the innermost position, its othergripping-jaw grips and clamps the striping-thread y, preventing it frombeing fed to the needles; but when it is in its intermediate position itis out of contact with both threads,so that both threads are free to befed to thg needles and neither comes in contact with the movable jaw.This relative arrangement of the threadeyes and gripping-jaws so thateach thread when released by the movable gripper passes fromthe outereye (f or g) to the leading-in eye G without being drawn over an edge ofone of the jaws and without the presence of a special moving mechanismfor effecting this result constitutes one of the features of the presentinvention. It will be seen that the effect of the movement of the jawson the threads is to cause them to be fed alternately to the needles,each thread carrying the other in to the needles in turn, the mode ofoperation in these respects and the resultant effect upon the fabricbeing the same as in the Marshall and Hewitt British patent abovereferred to.

The movable gripper L is carried on the inner end of a horizontallyswinging or oscil lating lever-arm M, which is pivoted at h to the plateI. The outer end of this movable gripper-arm fits and rests in a notchorrecess t in the upper end of a vertically swinging or oscillating leverN, which is pivoted at m to the bracket ll. The lever N below its pivotm is branched or forked, having, as shown, two separate branches or armsn and 0. Between these two arms is a short rotary shaft 0, which extendshorizontally and radially to the axis of the machine, This shaft'isjournaled in the bracket H and in an arm 19, extending outwardly anddownwardly therefrom, as shown in Fig. 1. Carried by this shaft androtating therewith is a cam R, which is located directly between the twoarmsn and 0. Co-operating with the outer camshaped periphery of the camP are two boaring-studs 1", carried on the inner faces of the arms n and0, respectively. Each stud r is carried on the lower end of a flatspring 8, which is riveted at its upper end to the arm and the lower endof which is adjustable to and from the cam P by means of a set-screw t,whereby wear on the lug oron the cam may be taken up. The shaft 0, andconsequently the cam P, rotates only in a single direction and is movedstep by step, a quadrant at a time, (by instrumentalities hereinafterdescribed,) so that the cam occupies four different positions, one ofthese positions being shown in Fig. 4 and the next succeeding positionin Fig. 5. The cam has four principal points 1, 2, 3, and 4. Point 1 isfarthest from the center or axis of the shaft. Point 2 is diametricallyopposite point 1 and is nearest to the center, while points 3 and 4 arediametrically opposite to each other, equidistant from the center, andat a distance from the center between the distances of the points 1 and2. When the cam occupies the position shown in Fig. 4, the lug of arm itrests on point 1 and the lug ofarm 0 rests on point 2, and consequentlythe movable gripping-arm M occupies the position shown in Fig. 2,withthe movable gripper L in contact with the outer fixed gripping-jaw J.When the cam is moved one step or quadrant, it then occupies theposition shown in Fig. 5, with the two lugs r resting on or opposite tothe two intermediate points 3 4 of the cam. The movable gripper-arm Mthen occupies the intermediate position shown in Fig. 6, with themovable gripper L between the fixed jaws J and K. The next step of thecam, it will be understood, brings the point 1 against the log on arm 0,thereby causing the movable jaw to come in contact with the inner fixedjaw K, as shown in Fig. 7. The third step reverses the position of thecam shown in Fig. 5, so that the movable jaw again occupies itsintermediate position, while the fourth and last step brings the partsback to the position shown in Fig. 4. The construction and mode ofoperation of the cam therefore cause the movable jaw L to take twodistinct steps in passing from one fixed jaw to the other. The cam alsoholds the arms at and o positiveiy in their several positions, so thatthe movable jaw cannot be ,moved accidentally, but only by the rotationof the cam, whereby the threads are firmly clamped and prevented frombeing accidentally fed to the needles at improper times.

The movements of the cam are effected properly and at theproperintervals by means of a star-Wheel Q, fixed to the shaft 0, anintermittently-moving pattern-chain R, the movements of which are timedwith those of the knitting mechanism, and two tappet-pins S S, which aremoved into and out of the path of the star-wheel by the pattern-chainand in termediate devices.

The pattern-chain is operated by any of the well-known means which arecapable of giving to it an intermittent step-by-step movement, and itcarries a series of cam projections T, suitably disposed so as to impartthe desired pattern to the knit web. I

The two tappet-pins S S are both carried by a horizontally-sliding plateU, which is capable of sliding to and from the axis of the machine. Thisplate has two positions-an outer (normal) position, in which the pins SS are out of the path of the star-wheel Q, as shown in Fig. 1 and infull lines in Fig. 2, and an inner position, in which the pins S are .inthe path of the star-wheel, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Theplate U is maintained in its outer normal position and is moved theretowhen displaced by means of a spring V, and it is moved to its innerposition by the operation of the cam projections T on the pattern-chain.Pivotally connected at u with a fixed bracket W is an elbow-lever X, theupper arm n of which is connected with the plate U, while its lowerhorizontal arm '20 extends into the path of the cam pro jeciions T onthe traveling pattern-chain. When one of the cam projections Tencounters the arm to of lever X, the two tappetpins Sare moved into thepath of the starwheel Q.

The star-wheel has four projecting and substantially radial arms 2. Whenthe starwheel in its rotation encounters the tappetpins S, one of thearms .2 encounters the first .the movable jaws occupy their intermediateheretofore been adopted. tact of one thread upon the othcralone has pin,whereby the star-wheel and cum I are moved one quadrant or step. .\uinterval then occurs, the duration o[ which is determined by thedistance between the two pins S, and then the next arm encounters thesecond pin 5, thus moving the cam lanot her quadrant or step. Each camprojection 'l on the pattern-chain has a Hat upper surl'acc,on which thearm 11' of the lever rests, and the speed of the pattern-chain is suchthatwhcn the plate l is moved inward both piush Sremain in the path ofthe starovheel until both have been encountered by arms of the starwheel, and the pins are again moved out of the path of the star-wheel bythe action of the spring before the staravheel again approaches thevicinity of the pins S. The result of this arrz'ingement is that thestar; wheel is always moved two steps, one after i the other, therebeing a dwell or pause bei tween these two steps. The motion of the,star-wheel is communicated to the movable l gripper, (as hereinbeforeset forth,) so that l the movable gripper when moved is always moved twosteps in passing between the two Tsved jaws, and therelis a d wellorpause while i position. During this dwell r pause both threads are freeto be fed in to the needles, and the pause is of sufiicient duration toenable the moving thread to carry the hitherto idle thread to theneedles. This pause is al ways of uniform duration, so that the threadbeing fed in is carried in with certainty and uniformity.

The present improvements also include l means for insuring the drawingin of one thread by the other. Three methods have The frictional conbeenutilized; but this is reliable only when rough-fiber yarns are employed.For smoother threads the twister of the Marshall and l lewitt 1 Britishpatent has been used, and a third method has been to slacken the threadto be fed in so that it may bedrawn in by frictional contact, as in theCooper and Ford llritish patent. Now the present invention provides forcertainty in feeding in the idle thread by frictional contact therewithof the moving thread, bya special shaping of the leading-in threadcye(i, and the location of the threadguide eyes f and g relatively thereto.The construction of the thread-eye is shown in det-ail in Figs. 8, .J,and 10. The tl'lrcad-eye (it is formed with a groove 5 on its outer edgeand with a similar groove 6 on its inner edge. These two grooves arediametrically opposite each other and are so arranged relatively to thedirection of the threads that the threads pass along and in the groove 5in entering the thread-eye and along and in the groove 6 in emergingfrom the thread-eye. Consequently, since both threads 1i n these groovesand are thereby always close together, the moving thread always carriesthe idle thread in when thelatter is released. 1 y reason of the groovesin the thrcad'cye and the location of the thr ad-eyes[and y relativelythereto and to eachotherthe outer thread .r is drawn over the innerthread 1 in the groove 5, while the inner thread 1 is drawn over theouter thread .1 in the groove 3. (onsequenth each thread is equallycllieicnl in drawing in the other to the needles.

in Fig. it a slightly-modified construction of the gripping-jawsisshown. in this modilicatiou the cent 'al jaw .l, having twogripping-faces, is stationary, while the two outer jaws i. I." arecarried by the movable grip- [)lllg-fll'lll M and are each in turnbrought into contact with the central fixed law, The mode of operationis identical with that of the ar-,

rangcnient of the jaws already described.

We claim as our in vcntionl. The thread-guide plate of aknitting-machine, havinga leading-in thread-eye, through which two thrends pass,and movable and fixed gripping-jaws for each of saidthreads, said movable jaws acting to release one thread, then to dwellor pause to permit the feeding in ot' one thread by the other, and thento grip the other thi' ead, in combination with means for causing saidmovable jaws to take two distinct steps in passing from the positionwhere one thread is gripped to the position where the other thread isgripped, subst-alr *tially as set forth.

distinct steps in passing from the position where one thread is grippedto the position where the other thread is gripped, in coinbination withmeans for imparting to said movable gripping-arm a stcp-by-stcpmovement, substantially as set forth.

1;. The thread-guide plate of a knitting-machine, having aleading-inlthread-eyc, through which two threads pass, two stationarygripping-jaws, and a movable grippingarm having two gri sping l'aees orjaws ooactiiig ith said stationary gripping-jaws, the two pairs of jawsthus formed acting upon said threads, respectively, sa d movablearmbeing movable from one lived jaw to the other and said movable armtalaing two separate and distinct steps in passing from one fixed jaw tothe other, in combinati n with means for giving to said movablegrippingarm a step-by-step movement, substantially as set forth.

-l-. The movable gripper-arm M and the forked lever cooperatingtherewith, in combination with the rotary cam having a stepby-steprotary movement, located between the arms ol' said lever, substantiallyas set forth.

5. The movable gripper-arm M and the forked lever cooperating therewith,in combination with the rotary cam having a stepby-step rotary movement,each movement or step being through a quadrant of a circle, and

by a movable gripping-arm, which takes two said cam having, points 1, 2,3, and 4, as described, whereby said arm M is moved back and forth twosteps at a time, substantially as set forth.

6. The movable gripping-arm M, the forked lever N, the rotatable shaft0, the cam I on said shaft and between the arms of said lever, and thestar-wheel Q on said shaft, said starwheel having four arms z z, incombination with the two tappet-pins S S, which are moved simultaneouslyinto and out of the path of said star-wheel, and means for moving saidpins into and out of the path of said starwheel, substantially as setforth.

7. The leading-in thread-eye G and the two thread-guide eyes f and 9, solocated that the threads pass from said guide-eyes to said leading-ineye G at an acute angle, substantially as set forth.

8. The thread-guide plate of aknitting-machine,havingaleading-inthread-eye, and the two thread-guide eycsf and g, solocated that 1e threadspass therefrom to the leading-in t tread-eye atan acute angle to each other and to the thread-guide plate, incombination with gripping-jaws located between said threads, and agripping-jaw on the opposite side of each thread, substantially assetforth, whereby when neitherthread is gripped both threads pass directlyfrom the guide-eyes t0 the leading-in eye without any friction due tothe gripping-jaws, substantially as set forth.

9. A thread-guide plate for a knitting-machine, having a leading-inthread-eye, and thread-guide eyes located so that the threads passtherefrom to the leading-in thread-eye at an acute angle to theguide-plate, and said leading-in eye having grooves 5 and 6 on its outerand inner faces in the path of the threads, whereby said threads aremaintained in said grooves in contact with each other, substantially asset forth.

' In testimony that we claim the invention above set forth we affix oursignatures in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM II. PEPPER. ALBERT L. DAVIS. Witnessess:

LEROY M. GoULn, llARRIE D. BROWN.

